The Hurst'e'a Saga
by wildemoon
Summary: The Jedi become subtly entangled with the lines of a royal family. HET - Obi-Wan/OFC, Luke/OFC
1. Love Will Come to You

Author: Aloysius (aka Elizabeth Wilde)

Title: Love Will Come to You

Series: The Hurst'e'a Saga

Distribution: Anyone who has my fic, anyone who wants it and asks,

.net/wilde[my site]

Disclaimer: I don't own the Star Wars chars. The original ones, however, are mine, MINE!, ALL MINE! So there :P And the song "Adia" belongs to Sarah McLachlan and probably her record company.

'Ship: Obi-Wan/OFC

Classification: romance, drama, angst

Summary: Obi-Wan falls for a princess and is then forced to leave her behind.

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: nope

Feedback: to 

Completed: Um... in 2000 or close to it.

_Adia, I do believe I failed you_

_Adia, I know I let you down_

_Don't you know I tried so hard to love you in my way_

_It's easy, let it go_

_Adia, I'm empty since you left me_

_Trying to find a way to carry on_

_Search myself and everyone_

_To see where we went wrong_

_There's no one left to finger_

_There's no one here to blame_

_...We all falter_

_But does it matter?_

_Adia, I thought that we could make it_

_I know I can't change the way you feel_

_Leave you with your misery_

_A friend who won't betray_

_Pull you from your tower_

_Take away your pain_

_Show you all the beauty you possess_

_If you'd only let yourself believe_

_~Sarah McLachlan "Adia"_

The high chancellor thrust his finger in the page's face. "See here, I want to know where they are. Now!" His round cheeks flushed with anger, the Umdallan's words echoed through the banquet hall, causing the elaborate chandelier overhead to chime as though stirred by a breeze.

"H-high Chancellor Arckes, I-I will go and check the hangar again." The page, a boy no more than ten years of age, trembled, beads of sweat trickling down his gaunt face. Gray eyes searched Arckes's for any sign of compassion. There was none. "Right away." He bowed hastily and scurried out the door.

Arckes sank into his thickly padded chair. "Your highness, I apologize for my tone. Perhaps now we shall see results."

Princess Adia sighed inwardly. /Why must he always throw his weight around like that?/ "Of course. You actions are understandable. Completely. Say no more about it." Her dark blue eyes closed briefly as she summoned the strength needed for the rest of the evening. /Dinner. Small talk. Polite good-byes./ Adia wished she could sink into the floor and disappear. /But the heir to the throne must bear all social functions, no matter how boring, with grace and dignity./

"Here they are!" The page had returned, trailed by two men clad in nearly identical garb; white tunics, white pants, dusty-colored brown robes and black belts. Dangling from the belts were lightsabers.

The younger of the two men watched everything with undisguised interest, taking in his surroundings as though cataloguing them for later review. When he saw Princess Adia, however, the interest changed from clinical to personal. Her coppery hair was pulled back and held up, yet was still long enough to spill past her shoulders, bare in the revealing white gown. A black jeweled necklace adorned her pale, slender throat and matching earrings reflected the artificial glow of the overhead chandeliers. She had a delicate elegance about her that the harsh make-up on her youthful face failed to disguise, an innocence glowing from her very soul.

/She is gorgeous!/

Adia rose regally, every motion refined by years of studying proper etiquette and social behavior. "Welcome." The false smile turned sincere upon spotting the young Jedi. Something about his faint smile and intense blue eyes made her happy to be at the before-dreaded meeting. Protocol dictated that she address his companion first. "Master Qui-Gon Jinn." She bowed slightly, mindful of her gown's plunging neckline. Adia's gaze turned back to the younger Jedi. "Welcome, Obi-Wan Kenobi." /How stupid of me! I can feel my heart beating faster just saying his name./ "I am honored by your presence." The princess gestured toward the rotund man seated to her right. "This is High Chancellor Arckes, my advisor."

"It is an honor," Arckes responded with a broad, toothy grin.

It was all Obi-Wan could do not to laugh at the excessive display of politeness. Knowing Qui-Gon would not approve of his apprentice laughing at the High Chancellor of Umdalla, he contented himself with watching Princess Adia while Qui Gon replied to the official welcome.

"It is an honor for us as well, your highness. Chancellor Velorum regrets that he was unable to come himself; however, situations arose which has to be dealt with by him personally."

Adia inclined her head. "Of course. Completely understandable." They all sat down at the expensive table inlaid with rare Axesan wood and continued the meal almost entirely in silence, save the occasional proper small talk. Any diplomat would have dubbed the meeting a complete success.

Just before the Jedi were scheduled to depart, the page rushed into the dining hall, face flushed from running. "Princess! There is an-an acid torrent on the way. No ships may leave the planet tonight."

Adia felt a surge of happiness but quickly pushed it aside. "The two of you will have to stay the night. I apologize for the inconvenience, but there is no predicting the torrents. The page will make up rooms for you. Again, I am truly sorry for the inconvenience." But she wasn't. In fact, Adia was inordinately pleased that Obi-Wan would be under her roof for the night. /Get ahold of yourself, Adia, this is ridiculous!/

The young Jedi, who could sense Adia's rising spirits, wondered if her mood had lightened for the same reason his did. /Now there is a chance I can get to know her./

Qui Gon glanced sharply at his apprentice. The boy was still poor at hiding his feelings. The Jedi only hoped Obi-Wan's infatuation with the girl wouldn't cause an interstellar incident. "I am honored by our offer, highness, and accept gratefully."

"Wonderful! High Chancellor Arckes, will you show them to their rooms, please?"

"Yes, Princess! Of course." The portly man grinned again and rose from the table.

Obi-Wan rose to follow Qui-Gon, then paused, staring hopefully at Princess Adia. "Highness, might I get a tour of the grounds before retiring? Doubtless there won't be time in the morning."

A glowing smile lit her face. "Certainly. I'll give you one myself. I could use a walk after that delicious dinner. High Chancellor, Master Qui-Gon, I shall see you in the morning." As they departed, she held her hand out to Obi-Wan. "We go."

Qui-Gon whispered quickly in his apprentice's ear, "Remember who she is. And who you are."

Blushing a bit, Obi-Wan took Adia's hand gently in his and allowed her to lead him outside. Being so close to her made it harder to control emotions. She smelled faintly of vanilla and flowers and her skin seemed to glow in the barely-there light of the garden.

After a moment of indecision, Adia asked quietly, "Would it be alright if I wash my face?" He nodded, unsure how to respond to the request. Smiling again, Adia knelt beside the nearby creek and splashed water on her face until it was clear of make-up, wiping the water away with the hem of her dress. When she turned to face Obi-Wan again she looked even more stunning than before, her natural beauty far surpassing anything the cosmetics could produce. Outside the protective dome surrounding the palace and its gardens, acid rain fell, creating steady, soothing background music. "That's better."

She clasped Obi-Wan's hand again. Adia couldn't stand the thought of losing contact completely. "My mother started these gardens before she died. She imported plants from all corners of the galaxy. Gardening was her passion. Now father hires people to keep it up. Soon I'll be hiring them." No sadness colored the statement, only reason.

Obi-Wan wondered whether her detachment came from her acceptance of facts or long training to conceal her true feelings. "Will you miss him?"

"No. I hardly know him." Adia laughed softly. "I know the maids better than I know my father. He wants it that way. He has been dying since before I was born. He didn't want me to get too attached." Adia sat down unceremoniously on the nearest bench, a stone affair sporting high, sculptured sides. "But he's my father." For the first time, her regret gave way to true sadness and tears filled the princess's eyes. She kept her gaze on the ground before her. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Obi-Wan hesitantly sat down beside Adia, gently putting his arm around her shoulders. "I want you to be able to talk to me. About anything."

Glistening storm-gray eyes met his. She allowed a small smile to twist the edges of her full lips. "You know, I hear that a lot. But no one else says it because they mean it. They just want to get on the princess's good side."

With his free hand, Obi-Wan wiped away Adia's tears. Unwilling to pull the hand away, he traced the line of her cheek with his fingers. "I mean it. You have a light inside you. I could tell from the moment I saw you."

"It doesn't matter, though. I am supposed to smile, be polite and do whatever Arckes tells me." A self-deprecating laugh escaped her. "Any light I have inside will have to stay right where it is."

"It shouldn't be that way." His hand moved behind her neck, pulling her closer. Qui-Gon's warning repeated itself over in his mind. /Remember who she is. And who you are./ But so close to Adia, the words held no meaning. His eyes asking silently for permission to continue, the Jedi leaned forward.

Adia's mind was inundated with conflicting desires. She wanted to feel his lips on hers more than anything, but years of diplomatic training and conduct lessons warned her against allowing the liaison to proceed any further. Rejecting all the brainwashing foisted on her, Adia tilted her head and breathlessly awaited her first kiss. Within the space of a few heartbeats, their lips met. Both seemed unsure of precisely what to do. Instead they let their hearts guide them, instinct covering what experience lacked.

When the kiss ended, Obi-Wan and Adia spent several moments simply staring into each others' eyes. The world around them vanished, melted away until they were alone in the universe.

Or almost alone.

"Obi-Wan!" The young Jedi wheeled around at the sound of Qui-Gon's voice echoing through the garden. "Come here for a moment."

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan released his hold on Adia and hurried over to Qui Gon. "What is it?"

The older man raised his eyebrows. "You think I don't know exactly what is happening out here? Hmm? It hasn't been that long since I was young myself. And you radiate your emotions through the Force. Did you somehow misunderstand my earlier warning?"

"No, Master. I-I understood."

"Then you ignored it?"

"No! Yes. I-I suppose."

"You suppose? So you aren't even certain what you've done?"

Obi-Wan stared fixedly at the ground. "I know."

"And what have you done? Enlighten me."

Fighting down feelings of anger and shame, Obi-Wan replied, "I have fallen in love."

"No, my young padawan, you have fallen in lust. Equally as consuming but not nearly as long-lasting. Adia is a beautiful young woman. You want her. Fine. But you must learn to control such impulses." Qui-Gon held his apprentice by the shoulders. "She is a princess, destined to rule this planet once her father crosses over. She-"

Obi-Wan looked into Qui-Gon's eyes and hoped his mentor would se his true feelings there. Love, not lust, guided him. "How can you know her destiny? How can you know Adia isn't meant to be with me?"

The Jedi's eyes softened but his resolve stayed firm. "I know much that you have yet to learn, Obi-Wan. You must learn to trust my advice. What you feel for Adia may seem like it could conquer any obstacle, but what about when you must leave tomorrow? And you must leave. There is no question about that. She must stay. Will this love you feel endure a lifetime of separation?"

Obi-Wan's eyes strayed to Adia. She sat on the bench, watching him. When Adia saw him looking at her, she managed a reassuring smile bright enough to make him melt inside. "I hope it will." He shook his head. "I wish I could promise you that I will leave tomorrow and act as if Adia is just another dignitary. I can't. I know you don't believe it, but I love her. I will do everything in my power to make sure tomorrow is not the last time I see her. Please say you understand. I need for you to understand."

The elder Jedi released his grip on Obi-Wan's shoulders. "I do understand. More than you'll ever know." He glanced over at Adia. "Go. Spend what time you have left together." And Qui-Gon went back inside.

Feeling both relieved and worried, Obi-Wan returned to Adia's side. In the back of his mind, he wondered if all in his power would be enough to keep the moonlit garden from being the last place they were alone together. "He won't be back." Obi-Wan smiled at the princess, pulling her close again. "We have a bit more time."

"And tomorrow you'll leave, probably forever." Adia laid her head on his chest and sighed. "I don't want tomorrow to come."

"I should *not* have beaten you. Not with that move," Qui-Gon admonished his apprentice. "You were distracted. Again."

"I'm sorry, Master." Obi-Wan sat down on a nearby chair. "It's just... it's been three months! I can't stand being away from her."

"That is the price you pay for love. Pain and love often walk the same path. Now focus. We'll go again-" the informal beep signaling an incoming communication cut him off, "after I answer that." Qui Gon clicked on the intercom. "Yes?"

"Chancellor Velorum has requested your presence at a meeting with Viceroy B'a'ru of Milrea. Also, he has asked that your apprentice show the viceroy's wife around the city."

"I was unaware that the viceroy is married."

"Yes. He recently wed Adia Hurst'e'a of Umdalla. You are to report to conference room A. The queen will meet your apprentice there."

"Understood." Qui-Gon rose and studied Obi-Wan's face. He looked every bit as pale and pained as the Jedi had expected. He had felt his apprentice's violent shock at the news of Adia's marriage. "I am sorry. The was no way to refuse the chancellor's request."

"Yes. Yes, of course." Knowing nothing he said could make Obi-Wan feel any better, Qui Gon headed off to meet with the viceroy. "Married..." The door chimed. "Just a minute."

Obi-Wan briefly tried to center himself, then gave up and answered the door.

Adia looked older than before. Her light had dimmed, and her eyes spoke of the toll her new responsibilities had taken. She hurriedly waved away her accompanying guard. "I-I wanted to see you."

A thousand half-thoughts flooded Obi-Wan's mind and fought for the night to be spoken first. "I'm supposed to show you around the city."

"That was the only way I could think of to get to see you." All-too-familiar tears obscured her dark gray eyes. "I've missed you so-"

"You're married."

A nod of confirmation.

"You love him?"

A negative shake.

"Why?" A million questions bound together in a single word. Three months of longing fueled by one night of memories laid bare. "Why?"

Tears flowing freely now, Adia checked to be sure the door had closed behind her. "My father arranged it. I had no choice." Her tone became desperate. "Please don't hate me! I couldn't live with myself if you did. Tell me you don't hate me."

Unable to hold back a moment longer, Obi-Wan pulled Adia into a passionate embrace. He showered kisses across her face and down her neck, eventually lingering on her lips. "I could never hate you. I love you."

"Take me away." Desperation gave her a wild, frantic appearance. "I don't love him. I don't want to spend my life being nothing more than some aging diplomat's only chance at an heir!"

"But how? I have to finish my training. Master Qui Gon-"

"I know." Adia took a step back and dried her tears. "I'm sorry. I should go. I'll say I... have a headache. We leave this afternoon. I'm sorry." The door hissed open.

"Adia, wait!"

The door hissed shut.

For a moment, time stood still. Obi-Wan knew he could either run down the hall after the woman he loved and throw away his future, give up all hope of ever becoming a Jedi Master, or he could stand as he was, let Adia leave with her husband and never see her again. Conscious of every tiny sensation, every useless muscle twinge and mental spasm trying to thwart his efforts, Obi-Wan stood where he was.

"Wait!" Obi-Wan ran toward Viceroy Ba'a'ru and his wife as they ascended the gangplank of their transport.

The viceroy's pale orange eyes narrowed. "Young Jedi, is there a problem? I have been informed our departure is cleared." None of the severe wrinkles on his pale blue face resembled laugh lines.

"I-I... Could I speak to your wife for a moment?"

"A *brief* moment, Jedi. We have other meetings awaiting us."

"Of course." He politely took Adia's hand and led her a few feet away. Though a greater portion of his mind wanted to hold her close and promise never to let her go again, Obi-Wan knew better than to try anything so rash until he knew it to be necessary. "Adia... I should have run after you."

She bit her lower lip to control the overwhelming emotions. "No. No, you were right." Adia's eyes never left the ground. "There isn't a place for us. There never was." She glanced back at the viceroy, who pointedly tapped his wrist chrono. "I have to go. I... no, I won't. It isn't fair. To either of us. Good-bye."

"Please, Adia-"

She dropped his hand. "Good-bye. I won't forget you."

Obi-Wan knew that there had to be a certain, perfect combination of words that would make her stay, some magic spell he could cast. But if the words were indeed out there, Obi-Wan didn't know them. "Don't leave."

A wistful smile, never touching the sad eyes. "In another life..." Adia turned away, murmured something to her husband and boarded the transport. She never looked back.

"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon walked across the docking bay as Adia's transport lifted off. Come back to the room. You need more practice." He lowered his voice and put a hand on his apprentice's shoulder. "And something to help you forget."

"I will never forget."

"No, but you will move on. Someday this pain will seem far away and long ago. Someday those happy memories will help you move forward, give you strength to go on instead of holding you back. Trust me."

"I do."


	2. Possession

Author: Aloysius (aka Elizabeth Wilde)

Title: Possession

Series: The Hurst'e'a Saga

Distribution: Anyone who has my fic, anyone who wants it and asks,

.net/wilde [my site]

Disclaimer: I don't own the Star Wars chars. The original ones, however, are mine, MINE!, ALL MINE! So there :P

'Ship: Obi/other

Classification: romance, angst

Summary: Obi-Wan and Adia see each other one last time.

Rating: R

Spoilers: nope

_~Listen as the wind blows _

_From across the great divide. _

_Voices trapped in yearning _

_Memories trapped in time._

_The night is my companion _

_And solitude my guide _

_Would I spend forever here and not be satisfied?_

_And I would be the one_

_To hold you down,_

_Kiss you so hard_

_I'll take your breath away_

_And after I wipe away your tears,_

_Just close your eyes, dear.~_

Adia stared out across the courtyard she knew to be full of flowers and trees but could not see them. The beautiful gardens her mother had started were completely hidden from view. The night seemed blacker than usual. Behind her in the bedroom, she could hear her husband snoring softly. Viceroy B'a'ru, a man roughly thirty years her senior, always snored. Some nights it drove her insane. Unable to take another moment, Adia closed the door to the balcony and returned to her reverie, back to the silence and darkness that so often became her refuge.

Her depthless blue eyes closed tight, shutting her off mentally from the nighttime world. Memories she had tried time and again to forgot swam into view. Memories of the first time she saw Obi-Wan. Their first kiss. The day he left. The day she married Viceroy B'a'ru. The day she left him standing on the launch pad with his Master. She had missed him every moment of every day since. And the nights were even worse.

Much as she needed him to know how she cared, Adia had cautioned herself not to write him, to leave him be and let the love he felt for her die. A painful death she knew. And she could not find a way to end her own longing for him. Still, the urge had been overwhelming. Despite an inner voice telling her not to, Adia wrote him. She had written a long letter, mostly talking about mundane, boring things like which emissaries she had most recently met with. And then had come the signature. Agonizing over what she should say, the young queen eventually decided on

Love. She waited each day for the mail to arrive, hoping for a response. None had arrived.

She wondered if he would feel when reading the word the way she had felt when writing it. Every ounce of the repressed feelings of the past year was poured into the pen strokes. Adia's eyes opened and she stared at her hands, the hands of a princess, the hands of one whose entire life had been spent learning how best to please everyone around her. She had done that. She had pleased everyone. Everyone except the two most important people, herself and Obi-Wan. Her father, before his death two months before, had approved and been thrilled with her marriage. Her husband was pleased as well. He gained a political ally in her planet and a young wife to give him an heir, not to mention the fact that he did seem to feel some genuine affection for her.

But it was Obi-Wan's beautiful blue-green eyes that looked into hers every time she let her mind drift. It made waking up beside the Viceroy harder and harder. Each day Adia felt her emotions drawing a bit further inward. Sighing, Adia sank into the balcony's sole chair and let her body melt into it's body-conforming embrace. She let all of her memories and longings go, tried to clear her mind of any coherent thought. She wanted for a moment not to worry about anything at all. Not even herself.

_~Through this world I've stumbled, _

_So many times betrayed, _

_Trying to find an honest word _

_To find the truth enslaved. _

_Oh you speak to me in riddles and _

_You speak to me in rhyme. _

_My body aches to breathe your breath, _

_Your words keep me alive. _

_And I would be the one _

_To hold you down, _

_Kiss you so hard _

_I'll take your breath away _

_And after I'd wipe away the tears _

_Just close your eyes, dear.~_

Obi-Wan Kenobi sighed. Not even looking at the stars calmed him as it once had. His emotions ran the spectrum from elation to depression and back again. Adia's letter rested, as it has since he received it, in the inside pocket of his loose tunic, right above his heart. He wanted very much to sit down and write a beautiful love letter to her and to tell her he loved her still, would always love her. But then he reminded himself that she was married. She had a life completely seperate from his.

And, he reminded himself gently, that is how it should be. There had never been any real chance for them. Qui-Gon had done his best to make his Padawan see that when the two met, but it had done no good. Something about the young then-princess drew him like a magnet. It felt wrong not holding her. It felt even more wrong to be unable to communicate with her. Obi-Wan reasoned that surely there would be no harm in replying to the letter, no harm in one friend reaching out to another. He knew it was rationalization at its worst, but it did not matter.

Obi-Wan used real paper just as Tanilea had. He hoped that she would treasure the letter and keep it as he had hers. Perhaps they could no longer be together, but in the confining lines and phrases of the letters, their love lived on. The young Jedi resolved silently that he would write her always, no matter what happened, no matter who thought it was a bad idea. He owed it to himself. And to Adia.

_~Into this night I wander _

_It's morning that I dread, _

_Another day of knowing _

_Of the path I fear to tread. _

_Oh into the sea of waking dreams _

_I follow without pride. _

_Nothing stands between us here _

_And I won't be denied. _

_And I would be the one _

_To hold you down, _

_Kiss you so hard _

_I'll take your breath away _

_And after I'd wipe away the tears _

_Just close your eyes...~_

The moment Adia got Obi-Wan's letter, she booked passage for Coruscant, telling her husband that there was a symposium on population growth that she wished to attend. There was indeed a gathering on the subject, but Adia had no intention of attending. The viceroy, never one to deny his wife, consented. Once she boarded the shuttle, Adia prayed she had made the right decision. As the ship landed not two city blocks from the Jedi Temple, she knew she had. Adia could all but feel his presence calling to her. She dismissed her guards with little difficulty. Though sworn to protect her, they knew she would be in no danger in a symposium, especially when no one was aware of here whereabouts.

As soon as she dared, Adia slipped from the building they had landed next to and headed for the Jedi Temple. She realized with a start that the closer she came to Obi-Wan's door, the more often she forgot to breathe. She pressed the door chime and forced herself to calm down, then forced herself not to jump in surprise as the door slid open. "Hello." He looked even more handsome than she remembered.

"Adia." Obi-Wan's beautiful eyes devoured the image before him, a vision of sublime beauty. He took a moment to steady his voice before continuing. "I had no idea you were coming..."

She seemed for a moment unsure how to answer. Her eyes fell to the floor and she bit her lower lip. "Oh. I know. I... I didn't exactly plan it in advance. When I got your letter, I just came. I wanted to know... In the letter, you said that you still feel the way that you felt in the garden the night we met." Adia raised her eyes to his, knowing his next words would determine whether she left Coruscant alone and miserable as soon as the pilot could start the engines of her ship or stayed and spent the night for the first time with the man she had come to love so dearly. "Do you?"

Obi-Wan's hand reached out, gently cupping her chin. The contact was electric, sending pleasant chills through his entire body. "Adia, I love you now as I did then. I will always love you."

Then he kissed her, gently at first, then crushing her lips-and her body-against his. He felt her hands, one running through his hair, the other snaking inside his tunic and pressing against his chest. Leaving her lips for a moment, Obi-Wan's kisses trailed down her neck, then back again.

"Please..." she whispered, hands already loosening the belt that held his tunic closed. More than anything, she wanted him. It might be the last time they had so much time together again, and Adia knew exactly how she wanted to spend the hours left them. Lips finding his again, Adia sent, /Is this what you want, love?/

/Yes./ He moaned, hands working at the buttons along the back of her elaborate dress. It fell from her shoulders with surprising ease. She stepped back and allowed it to travel the rest of the way to the floor, then stepped out of the dress and closer to Obi-Wan.

/You're sure?/

/I have never been so sure of anything. I love you./

Adia smiled began tugging her lover towards his bed. /That's all I wanted to hear./

That evening, Adia forced herself to crawl out of bed and begin finding the clothes she had discarded with such abandon hours before. Her heart was torn between extreme joy and sorrow.

Making love to Obi-Wan had completed her in a way she could not express. Leaving him again hurt more than words could ever say. Especially when she felt his arms snake around her waist, pulling her half-clothed body against his naked one. "Mmm..." For a moment, Adia let herself be lost in the moment, in him. She memorized his smell, the way his skin felt, the way his lips gently brushed against her shoulder. "I don't want to leave you."

"And I don't want you to leave."

Adia sighed. "But that doesn't matter, does it? In the grand scheme of things, what we want counts for exactly nothing." She turned, looking up into his exquisite eyes. "What matters is that I love you. I'll always love you. No one else." Tears threatened to overtake her, but she fought them back. "I will always carry you with me."

"Yes, you will." He kissed her softly. "You will always carry me with you, because you will always hold my heart."

Adia quickly finished dressing, then sat quietly as Obi-Wan rebraided her hair. When he finished, she caught his hands in hers and kissed them before rising from the edge of the bed.

"I have to go."

"I know."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

For the final time, Adia held him. She held him until she could feel the contours of his body even through the constraints of her dress. She held him until she finished memorizing his body. She held him until she had to leave. And then she did.


	3. Rebirth

Author: Aloysius (aka Elizabeth Wilde)

Title: Rebirth

Series: The Hurst'e'a Saga

Distribution: Anyone who has my fic, anyone who wants it and asks,

.net/wilde [my site]

Disclaimer: I don't own the Star Wars chars. The original ones, however, are mine, MINE!, ALL MINE! So there :P

'Ship: Luke/OFC

Classification: general, romance

Summary: Luke falls for the newest arrival to the academy.

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: nope

Completed: 2000 or 2001, I believe

Luke Skywalker watched with interest as the transport ship set down in front of his academy. /One being . . . a woman./ He wondered absently who was piloting the vessel. /We'll find out soon enough./ All sixteen of his students were deployed in the Yavin jungle training. Tionne had insisted that she was more than ready to teach a couple of lessons on her own. /I suppose I'll have to play host all by myself./

The gangplank slowly hissed to the ground. From inside the ship, a faint blue light glowed. A tall woman with long mahogany-colored hair and piercing gray eyes descended to meet him. A smile played on her full, dark red lips, which made her almost-white skin look all the paler. A black half-cloak partially concealed her midriff-baring green top and golden yellow pants. A nasty scar ran from her right eyebrow to just below the eye. "Greetings!"

"Welcome to Yavin," Luke greeted her. "How can I help you?"

"Well, if you're the Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, I'm looking for you."

Luke inclined his head. "That's me."

The woman nodded pleasantly. "Good, then. My name is Lucillia Ba'a'ru. I have some letters I thought you might be interested in."

"Letters?"

"Yeah. Come on aboard." She disappeared back into the ship. "Come on! I don't bite... well, not so soon after meeting someone."

Her laugh reminded Luke uncomfortably of the sound a kyldrake made before devouring its prey. "Coming." Though his senses revealed nothing out-of-the ordinary about Lucillia, she made him distinctly uneasy. Luke found her bending over a crate, long braid swinging as she dug through the sundry junk.

"Here!" She emerged triumphant, a pile of paper clutched in her hand. "They were left to me when my grandmother died." Lucillia sounded wistful as she spoke of the late queen. "I never really knew her. Anyway, I thought you would appreciate them."

"Why is that?" Luke asked as he accepted the bundle.

"Check out who they're from," she suggested.

Scrawled at the bottom of the top letter was "Yours forever, Obi-Wan." Luke's eyes widened. "How did they know each other?"

"Apparently they were in love. But gram's marriage messed it up. Or so I gather." She smiled at the Jedi. "You like?"

"Yes. I only got to know Ben-Obi-Wan-for such a short time. It would be nice to know more."

"It's all in there. And I doubt anybody else knows about it, certainly no one living. So. I'm off, then." Lucillia headed for the cockpit, boots clanking on the floor.

"Wait!" /Now why did I say that?/ "Before you leave, would you like to test? Maybe you belong in the academy."

"Of course I do!" A merry smile stretched across her face. "I've known that for years. But I'm a pilot. Wielding a lightsaber won't change that, Master Skywalker."

"You sound like Han."

She bowed. "General Solo is a great man. I could do worse."

"True. But if you have the potential-"

"I really just don't t think it's the life for me." At the same time, her eyes challenged him. She wanted to stay, but she wasn't going to make it easy.

"Try." Luke grinned. "For gram?"

"How underhanded of you!" The defiance left her eyes and she laughed. "Fine. Sign me up-for awhile."

"Wonderful. Come on, I'll find you a room." A bemused Lucillia followed Luke out of the ship. "The other cadets will return soon. I'm sure you'll all get along beautifully. They're a great bunch."

"I'm sure they are." Lucillia smiled to herself. She could sense Luke's excitement easily. /Guess not many people feel the urge to drop their lives to learn how to levitate rocks./ "I look forward to meeting them."

"The letters... Have you read all of them?"

They entered the fixed-up Massassi temple that served as the academy's main building. Though Lucillia had expected the air inside to be dusty and stagnant, it instead seemed fresh and clear, fairly shimmering with power. "No, I haven't. I felt... odd. They are hers, ya know? Maybe I can come read over your shoulder."

The Jedi Master grinned. "Of course you can. I wouldn't even have the letters without you, Lucillia."

"Oh, you can call me Cill. All my friends do."

Suddenly they heard a tinkling laugh coming from the entrance. "Master Skywalker, I've managed to break my ankle."

"Again," another female voice added quietly.

The injured woman hobbled into view. If it had been possible with her lilac-hued skin, the girl would have been blushing. Her dark eyes sparkled with mirth despite her injury, and Lucillia noted the patch of darker purple scales across the cadet's forehead, along with the small tattoo beside her left eye. "Oh!" she said, finally seeing Lucillia. "Hi. My name's L'a Ru."

"I'm Lucillia. Call me Cill. Is the ankle bad?"

"No worse than the last time," Luke answered for her. "Come on, I'll bind it for you." Supporting the girl's weight, Luke guided L'a into an adjoining room.

Another girl, this one with flowing silvery hair and striking mother-of-pearl eyes, held out her hand. "I'm Tionne." She gestured to the fair-haired, blue-eyed young man beside her. "This is Xavier Diara." The man waved shyly.

"Hi! I guess we'll be getting to know each other pretty well. Master Skywalker has managed to recruit me."

"Good, then." Tionne put an arm around Lucillia's shoulder. "Has Master Skywalker found you a room yet?"

"No, we were working on that."

"I can handle it. There's an empty room next to mine. I'm sure that's where you were headed."

Lucillia smiled at the cadet. "Whatever you say."

The next day, Lucillia began her training. They started out in the audience chamber, where Luke led the cadets through a simple relaxation exercise. Lucillia learned how to put herself in a death-like regenerative trance. /That could be useful after a long night flying./ "Outside, everybody!"

The cadets obediently filed out of the temple. Tionne came up from behind Lucillia. "Hello again. Sleep well?"

"Yeah. Not used to being away from Innocent-that's my ship-but I was very comfortable. I'm not sure about these Jedi robes, though." Lucillia tugged absently at the rough brown fabric.

"You'll get used to them, I promise. Anymore I feel naked without them."

"I suppose you're right." /I'll be getting used to a lot of things./

After the day's training and the evening meal were over, Luke caught up with Lucillia on her way back to her room. "Care to go over the letters? I thought it might be a pleasant way to end the day."

"Sure." As they walked toward the Jedi Master's quarters, Lucillia shed her robes. "Much better." Underneath she wore the tight green tummy top and an equally form-fitting pair of black pants. Every ample curve was outlined perfectly. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all." /Boy, do I ever not mind.../

"So, what do I call you when we're off duty, so to speak?"

"Luke is fine. I swear sometimes my own sister acts like she wants to call me Master Skywalker."

Lucillia shrugged. "It's a big part of who you are. And people respect it."

"Still, it's nice to have someone want to just know *me* every now and then." He opened the door to his room. "Welcome to my little corner of the academy."

The room contained only a cot identical to those in every cadet's room and a small set of shelves containing a few books. "Nice." She threw herself down on the foot of the bed and patted the spot beside her. "Let's get started."

Luke grabbed the packet of letters from the topmost shelf and sat down, very conscious of the attractive young woman beside him. The last women woman who had been in his quarters was Callista. It felt like an eternity since she had left him to rediscover herself. /Forever . . . or maybe that's just because I miss her./ Luke had loved the Jedi woman deeply, but her lost Force abilities had created a gulf between them nothing could fill. /So she left./

"Hey, you okay, Luke?" Lucillia rested her hand lightly on the Jedi's forearm.

Luke blinked suddenly-blurry cerulean eyes and smiled wanly. "Just thinking about the past."

"Old girlfriend. Don't worry, I understand. Now, let's read some depressing love letters to make you feel better."

He smiled in earnest and unfolded the first yellowing piece of paper. "Sounds like a plan." Luke decided not to mention that she still had her hand on his arm. "Dear Adia, I was surprised to get your letter. After you left, I never thought I would hear from you again. I am glad you wrote. You have no idea how happy it made me to see your name at the bottom of that letter."

Lucillia took over. "And Love. You signed it Love. I could almost hear you speak the word as I read it. How I long to hear you speak it! Do you still feel as you did that night in the garden? I do. I think of you constantly. I will not say more now. Not until I hear from you. Yours forever, Obi-Wan."

"I had no idea . . ."

"Funny how little we really know about people sometimes," Lucillia agreed. "Gram always seemed like such a proper little old lady. Here I find she had an affair. With the legendary Obi-Wan Kenobi, no less. At least she had some taste."

"I suppose everyone has secrets."

"Yeah. Some just run a little deeper than others. Wanna read more, or should we call it a night?"

"Let's save the rest for another day. Besides, you're going to need some rest for training tomorrow," he teased.

Lucillia groaned and stood up. "I can hardly wait."

Before going into her own room, Lucillia knocked on Tionne's door. "Can I come in for a minute?"

The cadet's musical voice called out, "Of course, Cill!"

Lucillia stepped inside and glanced around the sparsely-furnished room that was nearly identical to her own. "Thanks. I just... want to ask you about something." She sat down on the cot beside Tionne.

"Someone. Master Skywalker."

"I thought you said you aren't very Force-sensitive."

"I'm not. You're just extremely obvious," the woman replied lightly.

"Ah." Lucillia looked down nervously at her hands. "I wanted to ask about..."

"Callista."

At the sound of the woman's name, Lucillia looked up. "Yes."

"Alright. I was here when she first arrived." Long, slender fingers knotted together, then released. "I only have sketchy details about her past. Callista was a Jedi. Somehow her essence became trapped inside the main computer of the Eye of Palpatine, an Imperial droid ship. While Master Skywalker was aboard, they fell in love. Her spirit was later transferred into Cray's body." Lucillia sensed an upwelling of emotion at the mention of Cray's name. "Cray was one of the students here. She... she was killed. Before she died, she asked Callista to use her body.

"Everything seemed perfect, except for one. Somehow after the transfer, Callista was blindfolded to the Force. It was as if she didn't even exist in the Force. But she came back with Master Skywalker and stayed here for awhile. The whole time, they searched for a way to reawaken her abilities. Nothing worked. Finally Callista left. For a long time, Master Skywalker believed her to be dead. Eventually she sent a message capsule saying it wasn't fair to either of them, her staying. She promised to come back once she rediscovered her connection to the Force and told him she loved him. He got another message a couple of years ago warning him about a mission."

"And no word since?" Lucillia could hear the sorrow in Tionne's voice. /If even she feels bad about it, how must Luke feel?/ The thought of his long, thankless vigil touched her heart.

"No word. Nothing... but she promised to return. Sometimes," the cadet hesitated, "sometimes I think Master Skywalker has trouble believing that."

"Who wouldn't? I had no idea it was so bad. I mean, I knew he'd gotten dumped, but... losing your true love is way beyond that." Despite a sudden tug on her heartstrings, Lucillia refused to think about her own romantic past.

"You've experienced it." Tionne put her arm around Lucillia. "Sometimes a broken heart needs another broken heart to help it heal."

The next night Luke and Lucillia met again in his quarters. She thanked whatever gods were listening that she had kept herself in good physical condition; the training would have had her unconscious already otherwise. "I've never run so much in my entire life. I'll be feelin' it tomorrow." She tugged the pins out of her bun and let the dark tresses fall free, accenting her pale porcelain skin.

"I meant to ask you before, where did you get that scar?" Luke indicated the faint line across her right eye.

"Oh! A vibroblade that moved a bit faster than my dagger. Should have known better than to trust that Corellian harlot to keep it a fair fight. I won in the end, though. Let her go and took her ship as a reward."

The pride in Lucillia's voice and face reminded the Jedi Master so strongly of Han that he laughed out loud. "And that's where Innocent came from?"

"Yep. And now she's all mine. Nobody else could figure out the wiring except me anyway." Lucillia plucked the top letter from the pile and handed it to Luke. "You first."

"Yes, Master Cill. Let's see... Dear Adia, Master Qui-Gon discovered your letters yesterday. Only two, but he seemed worried. He does not want them found by someone less willing to overlook them. I told him I could care less what anyone else thinks. I refuse to let it touch your life. You have obligations. If the letters are all I may ever have of you, so be it."

"Congratulations on the baby. I know you will be a wonderful mother," Lucillia read softly, the sadness behind the words obvious despite Obi-Wan's attempt at cheer. "I can picture you holding him. I know you must have glowed during the pregnancy. You always glowed.

"I wish we could have made it work, that the baby were truly ours. But he isn't, is he? In my heart, I will always be with you. With both of you. In another life... I love you. Obi-Wan." Lucillia bit her lip and fought back tears. "The baby was my father." /And the baby's father?/ a voice within her asked. /Do you know your family so well as you think?/

Luke seemed to catch the thought as well, but asked instead, "Why is it that you aren't ruling your planet right now? If your grandmother was queen-"

"After the Emperor came into power, he took over Umdalla and all the surrounding planets." Lucillia shrugged. "Once father died, ruling lost any importance to me, so I never stepped forward to claim leadership even after the New Republic came into power. Re-taking the planet was his dream. It was not my path. Piloting satisfied my wanderlust, so I stuck with it."

Luke smiled at that. "I used to have stars in my eyes too. Ben gave me what I needed to follow my dreams."

"Maybe so that you could succeed where he had failed."

"Maybe..." /Maybe waiting isn't always a good idea. Ben waited for Aida, and what did it get him? Alone in the middle of the dessert of Tatooine./ "It's hard to learn from other people's mistakes sometimes, though."

"Sometimes we have to screw up for ourselves before we learn anything from it." Her thoughts turned inward again, back to the question of her lineage. "Maybe... Luke, do you think that Obi-Wan might be my grandfather? I mean, I know we don't even know if he and gram saw each other after she left, but if they did-"

"It's possible. Anything is possible." He smiled at her and wished he could help somehow. "Perhaps someday the answer will find you."

L'a Ru was meditating by herself when Lucillia walked by the door to her quarters. "Hey. How's the ankle?" It felt good to focus on someone else's problem instead of the nagging questions that seemed to be eating up her thoughts.

"Almost there. Still a little sore... but it's healing." Coal black eyes seemed to absorb all the nearby light. "How were your first few days?"

"Good. Tiring." She stretched out her tired arms and let the muscles relax. Somehow even the slight soreness was a welcome sensation.

The bell-like laugh Lucillia remembered from her first day sounded. "And you're loving every moment."

"I am. I feel like I belong here more than anywhere before."

"You do! I sense it. Master Skywalker says I have great potential. I hope he's right. But he always is. How do you like him?"

Lucillia hesitated for only a moment. "Seems like a really great guy. I'd like to get to know him better." /Maybe a lot better./ Blushing suddenly, Lucillia forced the thought back.

"You should. The longer I stay the nicer he gets. He doesn't even make fun of me for getting injured so often." The girl leaned forward and patted Lucillia's hand. "I'm glad you came. Somehow . . . we need you."

They both noted an approaching presence at the same time. "Lu-er, master Skywalker's coming."

The man in question poked his head around the door. "Hello, you two. The ankle is improving... good. We've missed having you around." His ice blue eyes focused on Lucillia. "Ready?"

"Sure am. I'll come see you again tomorrow, L'a."

"I'd like that," the injured cadet replied. "Have fun." When Luke turned away, she winked, giggled and whispered, "Lots of fun."

As Lucillia took her customary spot beside Luke, she became suddenly serious. "Thank you." None of her usual flippant manner seemed to color the words.

"For what?"

She sighed. So much had changed in the short time since her arrival. Even her background was a subject suddenly new. "For getting me to stay here. Piloting always filled my needs, but training here has opened up parts of myself I never even knew existed. I just needed to tell you how much it's meant to me."

He clasped her hand, eyes shining. "You have no idea how much that means to me. I think the credit for keeping you here might better be given to Adia and Obi-Wan, though."

"Maybe. But I'd rather thank you."

Something in her eyes made Luke suddenly uncomfortable, so he pulled out a letter. "Shall we begin?"

After a few months of training, Lucillia constructed her own lightsaber: pure silver handle, blue stone controls and a teal blade. She waved the Jedi weapon back and forth experimentally. It felt light in her hands, almost as if it were an extension of her arm rather than a mere weapon.

"Now you must learn how to use it." Luke grinned, then drew a remote from an inside pocket. "Try this. First without a blindfold."

"Whatever you say." Lucillia took a deep breath and released it with a sigh. /Relax. Feel the Force./ She watched as the remote hovered in front of her. A small jolt went through Lucillia. She brought up her lightsaber just in time to deflect the numbing bolt of energy. The process repeated several times before Luke stepped forward again.

"Good. Now blindfolded." Luke tied a scrap of black material firmly around Lucillia's eyes. "Ready?"

"Yes." It took a moment longer to center herself with the blindfold blacking out her view. The Force controlled her limbs as she spun and blocked every attack from the remote. Lucillia felt Luke's approving gaze throughout and finally she felt the remote being deactivated. Pulling the blindfold free, Lucillia flashed the Jedi Master her most confident grin.

"Well done, Cill! Now, how about you try a living opponent?" Luke gripped his lightsaber as well.

"Bring it on!" She resumed a fighting stance, watching as Luke did the same. His lightsaber flared to life with a comforting hiss. Though both blades were green, the touch of blue in Lucillia's made a marked difference in the lightsaber's appearance. "Ready?"

"Always," Luke responded. Taking the initiative, he advanced on Lucillia, aiming a blow at her head. She deflected the strike easily.

For what could have been half an hour or half a day, the two fought. Neither ever truly had the upper hand. Instead, each anticipated the other's every move as if they had been practicing together for years. Finally Luke deactivated his lightsaber and held out his hand with a smile. "Truce?"

Lucillia clipped her lightsaber back onto her belt and accepted his hand. "Truce."

With her dark tresses flying partially free in the evening breeze, her pale cheeks flushed and her slate gray eyes snapping, Luke couldn't help but notice how beautiful Lucillia looked. The revelation brought to the surface feelings the Jedi Master had all but forgotten since Callista's abrupt departure. Love had for so long been associated with pain he had trouble seeing it any other way. In retrospect, Luke saw that over the months since her arrival, he had grown steadily more fond of the free-spirited cadet. More than fond. As he looked into her wide, clear eyes, Luke realized with a small measure of shock that he loved her.

For her part, Lucillia had to admit how pleased she was that despite having finished the stack of letters from Obi-Wan Kenobi, she and Luke still met often in his quarters simply to talk, sometimes about the academy, sometimes about her possible link to Obi-Wan and sometimes about nothing at all. Never before had so felt so connected to another person, as though every past experience in her life had molded her for the moment she met Luke.

In the past, she'd had her fair share of bad luck with the opposite sex. The first man Lucillia gave her heart to had left in the middle of the night after making love to her and had taken up with a slutty dancing girl a few years older than she. He never spoke to her again and she never knew why he left. After that, trusting people had seemed harder, especially when it came to romantic entanglements. Even when she did become involved, Lucillia found it difficult to fully give her heart. Something inside her whispered assurances that Luke was different, that if he could get over his own painful memories, he could be what none of the others had been.

Even as he leaned forward to kiss Lucillia, part of Luke's subconscious mind begged him to stop, to remember Callista's promise to return to him. He ignored it, focusing all his attention on the woman in front of him. Their kiss was more than a simple physical gesture; it was also the first time each of them released all of the mental barriers set up to ensure privacy and allowed the other to see their thoughts and feelings clearly. Luke held Lucillia close, the length of her body pressed against his.

Lucillia's fingers ran through Luke's slightly-shaggy blond hair. Her heart pounded in her chest as her mind and body became fully immersed in the moment. All too soon, the kiss ended and the pair were left gazing into each others' eyes. "What took you so long?" she whispered gently.

Luke grinned and held Lucillia a bit tighter. "Guess it just took me awhile to realize how much you mean to me." His fingers carefully traced her jawline. "I love you."

"Mmm." Lucillia rested her head on Luke's shoulder. "I know."


End file.
